ORLANDO—General contractor Balfour Beatty has completed work on Lake Highland Preparatory School’s Porter Family Center for Innovation & Academics, designed by SchenkelShultz Architecture. The 14-month-long, 71,000-square-foot project replaces the campus’s former Johnston and Hale Halls.

The first floor features the school’s new student center, which includes the Scott Family Commons, Kind Family Library and Vivar Student Union. Administrative offices and counseling centers are also on the ground floor. The building is home to the Innovation Institute and Carmany Family Innovation Hub, a two-story, makerspace that includes areas devoted to engineering, robotics, computer science, physics and virtual reality. Meanwhile, the third floor contains the Morsi Mathematics Institute, and the fourth floor is the home for the school’s Center for Literary Arts program for coursework in English and language arts. Finally, the top floor features the Starling Gallery for meetings, events and other activities.

On the exterior, the Steinmetz Family Innovation Courtyard and the Jackson Breezeway will take ample advantage of the Florida sunshine and LHP’s location on the lakefront for students and faculty to enjoy.

“We are grateful to our construction partner Balfour Beatty for their outstanding work as general contractor of the Porter Family Center for Innovation & Academics,” Lake Highland President Jim McIntyre said of the work. “Our school’s bold dream to build an academic center unparalleled in our region has come to life, and the remarkable learning and teaching there are producing innovative, talented, and inspired leaders who will change the world.”

“The Porter Family Center for Innovation & Academics is a stunning facility strategically built and designed to promote an enhanced learning experience for students in Central Florida,” added Scott Skidelsky, Balfour Beatty president in the Southeast. “Balfour Beatty is proud to partner with Lake Highland, its donors, and industry partners to deliver this state-of-the-art learning space for the future generations of tomorrow.”

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SAVANNAH, Ga.—The Savannah-Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS) has selected general contractor Balfour Beatty to realize its vision for its new Pulaski K-8 School.  Working with architect Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood, Balfour Beatty will be coordinating with U.S. military personnel during the project given that the school site is adjacent to the Hunter Army Airfield.

Balfour Beatty’s tasks include converting space within the existing K-5 school to function as a media center and student health clinic.  The firm will also add over 40,000 square feet of new educational space to the reimagined school, as well as build out a gymnasium, administrative offices and classrooms.  Balfour Beatty will also be prepping new athletic fields for student use.

“We’re thrilled to expand Balfour Beatty’s industry-leading education construction footprint into the Savannah market through the delivery of Savannah-Chatham County Public School System’s new Pulaski K-8 School,” Ronnie Hall, Balfour Beatty’s director in Savannah, said in a statement.

He added that his firm is excited to work with NuJack Companies on mentorship opportunities that can blossom even after the construction on the Pulaski school is astern.

Construction is envisioned to commence in May and is scheduled to be completed in time for the 2024-2025 school year.

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PHILADELPHIA—General contracting firm Balfour Beatty has completed its construction of the Pavilion, a $1.6 billion hospital for Penn Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Balfour Beatty worked in conjunction with designer PennFIRST, as well as other partners that included L.F. Driscoll, HDR, Foster + Partners and BR+A, all of whom worked under the umbrella of the so-called PennFIRST team.

The $1.6 billion project increases the overall footprint of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia by some 1.5 million square feet of space in the 17-story complex. The University of Pennsylvania encompasses over 200 buildings spread out across its 300-acre campus.

The university’s Perelman School of Medicine trains classes of nearly 2,000 students, and the nearby Penn Medicine Complex serves as the university’s main teaching hospital. The new Pavilion will directly connect the Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine to the University of Pennsylvania’s hospital via both an underground tunnel and a series of bridges.

“From the early design phases of this project and through our consistent collaboration with our partners, Balfour Beatty has developed a strong and longstanding partnership with Penn Medicine through the delivery of the Pavilion,” Leon Blondin, chief executive officer of Balfour Beatty, said in a recent statement. “I commend our project team members and PennFIRST partners for their agility, adaptability and ongoing teamwork.”

In addition to the Pavilion, other upcoming improvements to the University of Pennsylvania campus include a new residential building, as well as improvements to its athletic field and renovations to various floors of the school’s Museum Coxe.

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WILMINGTON, N.C.—Contractor Balfour Beatty’s Campus Solutions department has finished its work on the University of North Carolina Wilmington’s (UNCW) Student Village, according to a recent announcement by the firm.

The two-phased project entailed building space for 776 new student beds as well as a student “success center.” Earlier work encompassed a coffee shop, more than 1,000 student beds as well as a convenience shop.

A celebration was held for the opening of the new construction at the end of October. The work was funded in a joint public-private partnership.

The Student Village is the most recent work that Balfour Beatty has undertaken at UNCW. Previous construction at the campus by the contractor includes a parking garage, Dobo Hall and the Allied Health Building.

Balfour Beatty’s partners on the project included designer Clark Nexsen Architecture and Engineering and the nonprofit Collegiate Housing Foundation.

“We are excited to deliver this transformational project for UNCW in conjunction with our partners, including Balfour Beatty’s US Building Operations,” Bob Shepko, division president for Balfour Beatty Campus Solutions, said in a recent statement. “This effort truly exemplifies what effective collaboration can create, and the community wouldn’t be what it is today without the contribution of all stakeholders.”

Added Tony Stoneking, senior vice president of Balfour Beatty’s operations in North Carolina: “It was a collective team effort with our design partners, the university, the state construction office and Balfour Beatty Campus Solutions to successfully deliver another project for UNC Wilmington. We couldn’t be more proud of what our team accomplished over the last three years, especially their resiliency in overcoming impacts from the pandemic and hurricanes.

“The construction of the Student Village is the fourth project our project team has successfully delivered since 2020, and we look forward to more opportunities to meet the growing needs of UNC Wilmington students and faculty.”

Balour Beatty has performed other educational work at the University of Iowa, Purdue University and the University of Texas, Dallas.

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ATLANTA—Building and infrastructure firm Balfour Beatty has completed improvements to the West Manor Elementary School in Atlanta’s Lynhurst neighborhood. The elementary school falls under the umbrella of the Atlanta Public Schools entity.

The contractor was able to complete the renovation work nearly three months ahead of schedule, the firm announced recently. The design partner on the project was Collins Cooper Carusi Architects.

Renovations entailed work on both the interior and exterior. Balfour Beatty commenced the work at West Manor in June 2020. During the accelerated work schedule, the contractor added and/or renovated 52,000 square feet of educational space.

New spaces include a gym and a performance hall and meeting spaces. The work also entailed installing a new roof, sprinkler system and refining the HVAC system from the ground up. Additionally, administrative space for staff was added. Balfour Beatty also added additional classrooms for music, language and arts instruction. On the outside, the parking area was expanded and right-of-way improved.

Balfour Beatty utilized lean construction techniques to push forward the projected date of delivery to the school district. They also applied “value engineering” to save money on the roof renewal and HVAC updating.

In a recent statement, Mike Macon, Balfour Beatty senior vice president in Georgia, said that his firm was proud to work with Atlanta Public Schools on West Manor Elementary School.

“Throughout the lifecycle of the project, our team leveraged our industry experience in K-12 construction while remaining agile and consistently collaborating with Atlanta Public Schools to complete this project nine weeks ahead of schedule,” Macon said.

Added Theondrae Reid, project manager for Atlanta Public Schools: “I’ve had the pleasure of working with Balfour Beatty on three consecutive school projects, and their proactive approach in providing creative construction solutions has exceeded our district’s goals and expectations to create dynamic learning environments for the Lynhurst community and beyond.”

West Manor Elementary School is located at 570 Lynhurst Drive SW, and is now open for in-person instruction.

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SPRING WATER, Calif.—Grossmont Union High School District’s Monte Vista High School has recently expanded its campus complement thanks to the opening of the Monte Vista High School Event Center and Student Services Building. The multi-use facility was envisioned to support students and faculty, as well as to be a place where performances and community events can also take place. Adjacent outdoor areas also give students a place to meet up and converse.

The campus’s new facility was designed by architect HED, with construction management provided by Balfour Beatty. The event center and student hub cost $14.1 million and entails nearly 19,000 square feet of usable space. The money came from funds set aside by Proposition U and Measure BB.

The building was meant to be energy-efficient, and to take advantage of San Diego County’s ample natural sunlight. Accordingly, the building’s windows feature dual-pane, low-E (low emissivity) glass that allows in sunlight while filtering out harmful ultraviolet and infrared light. Furthermore, high-efficiency plumbing has been installed to minimize the amount of water that could potentially be wasted. Furthermore, a “cool roof” absorbs less heat than a more traditional roof would.

In addition to the performance space itself, designed in the style of an outdoor amphitheatre, the building also boasts a student support services center where students can get their questions answered as well as interact with campus staff. The student support services center features conference and break rooms, the student store, offices for principals and assistant principals, security, storage and nurses offices.

The building was also designed in such a way that views of the nearby San Miguel Mountain would not be obscured.

The addition is meant to fashion a new “gateway” for Monte Vista High School, and also serve as a connector between the school’s upper and lower campuses.

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SOUTH ORANGE COUNTY, Calif.—El Toro High School’s modernization for the Saddleback Valley Unified School District is now complete.

HMC Architects was the architect for this $8 million project. Balfour Beatty served as general contractor. The project features a 7,000-square-foot library modernization, 16,700-square-foot classroom building modernization, and a 2,000-square-foot demonstration classroom addition.

To relieve a densely overcrowded facility and create more classroom space, HMC Architects designed a future-focused learning environment that offers both students and teachers a variety of curriculum delivery opportunities and options for greater collaboration. Existing classrooms were reorganized around a commons area accessible to all passively encouraging students and teachers to interact.

This district pilot project is changing long-established norms on how teachers view ownership of classrooms thereby increasing the capacity of the campus without building a magnitude of new classrooms on an existing campus.

The school’s existing library was renovated into a modern media innovation center consistent with the premise of flexibility, opportunity, and driven by technology. A new entry gateway was designed, and the parking lot was modified for safety.

The design of the lecture demonstration space addition and media innovation center considers potential active shooter considerations. Passive safety measures, such as angled walls and functional window heights, to keep students safe have been implemented.

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DENTON, Texas—VLK Architects was recently awarded a 2019 Gold Brick in Architecture Award for Ray Braswell High School, located in Denton, by the Brick Industry Association (BIA).

For more than three decades, the BIA has sponsored one of the country’s most prestigious architectural award programs—the Brick in Architecture Awards. This award has become the nation’s premiere architectural award featuring clay brick.

“I am thrilled that Braswell High School was selected for the Gold award for Brick in Architecture Awards,” said Justin Hiles, Chief Operations Officer, VLK Architects, in a statement/

This $114.5 million project was a collaborative effort between Balfour Beatty and DMG Masonry.

Hiles said the design was intended to announce the arrival to Denton ISD, and more importantly, serve as a hub for the growing 380 corridor.

“By selecting local Denton brick as the primary building material, we were able to highlight a key local material to achieve this goal.”

The high school spans 532,000 square feet and sits on 108 acres. Named after Dr. Ray Braswell, who served Denton Independent School District for more than 30 years, was completed in 2016. More than a year and a half of planning and design, plus two and a half years of construction went into the delivery of this transformative learning facility.

The school opened in 2016 and serves families in the growing communities along the U.S. Highway 380 corridor. The school is named after retired Denton ISD teacher, administrator and superintendent, Dr. Ray Braswell, who led the district during tremendous growth.

Designed as a focal point for the community, flexible features and spaces encourage the campus to be used for community-focused events. Academic and extracurricular offerings bring pride to the school and the families served by the four “learning houses” that naturally create smaller learning communities, providing students with individualized instruction.

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CHULA VISTA, Calif. — Southwestern College (SWC) was recently awarded the City of Chula Vista’s Green Building Design Award for the construction of the new Wellness & Aquatics Complex as part of its annual Ribbons & Shovels awards. The 12 awards highlight community projects that improve and enhance the appearance of Chula Vista and celebrate the best in art, architecture, landscape, historic preservation and environment.

The Green Building Design Award promotes green, sustainable, and eco-friendly design and construction projects. The Wellness and Aquatic Complex is LEED registered and is currently targeting gold certification. It uses reduction measures and includes low-flow fixtures and infrastructure for reclaimed water use. Energy reduction is achieved by connecting high-efficiency heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment to the college’s central utility plant, and through LED lighting with daylighting controls throughout.

“The Wellness & Aquatic Complex has been a long-time dream for our students and our community and we are so honored to receive this award that highlights its design and sustainability,” said Superintendent/President Kindred Murillo. “We are so grateful to the community for its continued investment of our students, our programs and our facilities.”

The Wellness and Aquatics Center is a 75,000-square-foot facility built on the corner of East H Street and Otay Lakes Road. The new facility, which opened its doors to students and community members in January 2018, features a gymnasium, fitness labs, cardio workout rooms, locker rooms, two Olympic-sized swimming pools and a 25-meter therapy pool. The Wellness & Aquatics Complex also features Maya-inspired glyphs designed by Southwestern College professor Dr. Mark Van Stone.

The building also houses training and testing rooms, offices, and multipurpose exercise rooms. From its site on a prominent campus corner, the complex is highly visible, providing convenient access to wellness services for students and the local community.

The $52 million complex was designed by the architecture firm Gensler, who also designed the DeVore Stadium Fieldhouse, and was built by Balfour Beatty construction company with the help of local union plumbers, electricians and more. The new Wellness & Aquatics Complex is funded by Proposition R, a $389 million general obligation bond passed by voters in South Bay in November 2008.

Community members are invited to access health programs with a membership to the Health First Fitness Club. Health programs range from fitness and swimming classes to individual training, with programs for children, families, adults and seniors.

“Gensler is proud to be recognized by the City of Chula Vista for our contribution towards the sustainable design performance of Southwestern College’s new Wellness & Aquatics Complex,” said Tom Heffernan, principal architect at Gensler.  “Targeting LEED Gold Certification, the Wellness & Aquatics Complex exemplifies SWC’s commitment to creating new facilities that not only conserve energy and water resources, but provide healthful environments for students, staff and community members. This new project supports SWC’s desire to bring the local community and the college together in a meaningful and enduring way. Not only does the complex serve the wellness and athletic needs of SWC students, it also serves the local community by offering members access to a range of fitness and swimming activities, with programs for children, families, adults and seniors.”

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